WILSON WESLEY ASHFORD

 

A varied and interesting career was that of Wilson Wesley Ashford, an early pioneer of Sutter County, and one whose efforts contributed no little to the development of the natural resources of that locality.  He was born February 12, 1826, at Port Hope, Canada, a son of John and Margaret Ashford, both natives of Canada.  His great-grandfather, John Ashford, was born in England and was the first of his family to come to America and he located in New York.  His son, also named John Ashford, became a large farmer where the city of Rochester now stands.  At the time of the Revolution he was a United Empire Loyalist and removed to Port Hope, Canada.  His property in New York was confiscated by the United States Government and, as a compensation, the English government gave him a large tract of land in Canada, near Lake Ontario, two miles from the town of Port Hope.  He had two sons, John and Nathaniel, the former being the father of Wilson Wesley Ashford, who was one of six sons and three daughters, the others being James, Nelson, William, John Q., Lewis Joseph, Almira, Mary and Josephine, all deceased.  Most of the descendants of James and Nelson Ashford now live at Tudor, Cal.  The other four sons had no children.  William and John Q. Ashford, brothers of our subject crossed the plains in 1849 and settled about ten miles southwest of Yuba City.  Lewis Joseph Ashford joined them in 1850, and in 1856, Wilson Wesley settled in the same section in Sutter County, where he soon became a land owner and specialized in raising wheat, barley, hay and horses; he prospered and bought other ranches.  He had an upper and a lower ranch on the river, while his headquarters ranch was the present site of Tudor.  He also added to his holding by the purchase of the Stevenson and Pedro ranches, and eventually the O’Connor ranch was added to his holdings, comprising in all about 1800 acres.  As early as 1874 he leased his ranches and located in Hayward.

Mr. Ashford was married near Tudor, on February 12, 1873, being united with Ida Estelle Burch, born in Marysville, a daughter of George Wells and Nancy (Shirley) Burch, pioneers of Sutter County.  George W. Burch was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, a son of Erasmus and Lucy (Wells) Burch.  George Wells, the ancestor, was born in England and was a soldier in the British Army.  He located in Virginia and there he married a widow, Mrs. Webb, who had two sons.  They all removed to Kentucky, and later the family came to Ohio, where Erasmus Burch was a farmer.  After Erasmus Burch’s marriage he moved to Plymouth, Ind., where George W. was reared.  He was one of a family of thirteen children, all of whom grew up.  George W. Burch came to California across the plains in 1850.  In December, 1851, he returned East for his family and, in 1852, brought them across the plains with mule teams and wagons.  They made the trip in three months and did not lose a mule.  Arriving in California they spent the winter in Marysville.  Mr. Burch put in a crop of wheat at the Buttes, which is said to have been the first crop of wheat raised in Sutter County.  He then bought a ranch, now the Hauss place, but after a time it proved to be a part of the grant, so he had to give it up.  He had preempted 160 acres near there but sold it and purchased a ranch near what is now Tudor, and there he resided until he passed away.  His widow spent her last days in Hayward.  They had four daughters, Mrs. Ashford being next to the oldest and the only one living.  She was reared in Sutter County, finishing her education at Miss Poston’s school in Marysville.  George W. Burch was a great friend of Chief Wakataw, head of the rancheria near Yuba City, and this friendship lasted until the old chief died.  Wilson Wesley Ashford died at Hayward in 1906, and his widow now resides in San Jose.  Mr. Ashford made bequests of portions of his land to the grandchildren of James and Nelson Ashford and they now reside on their own places in the Tudor section and are developing their ranches.  Wilson Wesley Ashford was a Republican in politics.  In the death of Mr. Ashford, Sutter County lost a progressive and influential citizen, for he believed in and worked for the advancement of the section he had chosen for his home.

 

History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924

p 1204

 

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GROVER C. SHANNON

 

Fine and deserving traits of character have contributed to the success of Grover C. Shannon, a successful farmer residing on his ranch a mile and a quarter northeast of Tudor, where by virtue of his untiring and well-directed energy he has accumulated a competence.  He was born near Hanford, Cal., on December 2, 1889, a son of Samuel and Maggie May (Boyd) Shannon, the former a native of New York and the latter of California.  Samuel Shannon came to California in 1880.  He was married in Kings County, and became an extensive land owner there; and he was also interested in oil producing property at Coalinga, Fresno County.  In later years he went into the banking business at Hanford and became president of the First National Bank of that place, serving in that important position until recently, when he retired from active business life.  There were two children in their family: Marion, now Mrs. Paul Parrish of Pomona, and Grover C., our subject.